HOMELESSNESS IN MONTANA: Missoula mayor responds to urban camping increase

Missoula is facing a homeless crisis, including lack of shelter space, lack of shelter beds and a lack of funding to help accommodate those without shelter.
On Tuesday we sent one of our photojournalists around the city to check out how many urban camping spots there are around town.
We are seeing an increase at the Poverello Center, under the Orange Street Bridge, Reserve Street Bridge, and the Madison Street Bridge.
Missoula's emergency winter shelter, funded by the city and county, closed on April 10. On its final night, 80 people slept there.
FULL STORY: nbcmontana.com/news/local/mis...
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[@yellowbird5411]

I cannot fathom being homeless in Montana, living in a tent under a bridge or in the woods. They must find a lot of corpses when the temps dip down to below zero.

[@PNWAdventures541]

The homeless travel around and know what their doing! Look at Oregon! Montana is wanting to become a drugged up dump like my state

[@altpropaganda7293]

@borntohula9408 To Seattle, portland, and california.

[@r.k.ssshhh5508]

I actually have a gross story my friend told me about when he and his gf were homeless drug users a few years ago.........😅I wouldn't want to get in trouble here but it has to do with peee so maybe if you guys are interested I will tell?

[@Rageof1000Mongooses]

How are they traveling? Seattle and Portland are hundreds of miles away across some of the largest mountains on the continent, if I am not mistaken.

[@Aranck-kcnarA]

​@@Rageof1000Mongooses.. The cave you live in must be huge. Follow the light..

[@dirtymontana]

This is NOT "urban camping" --- It's "progressive" anarchy. (I lived in Missoula for 30 years...)

[@turokforever007]

It is planned by the government. They are building camps for these people. This has been on the news, the camps for the homeless have the power to do brain surgery If 2 doctors agree, (it was said in a nicer way) so the more homeless the better. One camp that has been approved is right next to the train tracks, i wonder who did that before.

[@MsPhysics22100]

progressive? You realize it's because Republicans have increased teh cost of living and removed public safety nets so now more people are homeless.

[@PNWAdventures541]

Look at oregon! Don’t become a drugged up homeless state like us

[@MsPhysics22100]

@borntohula9408 vocational rehab is a socialist program created by the left. You do know that right?

[@xnihilo1044]

@borntohula9408 This! Liberals just don’t get it. Maybe she should invite some to her home to stay. Bet she would change her mind real quick.

[@Suntear1]

Federal money was sent to Ukraine instead of to the US cities that needed it.

[@jeremycummings6702]

🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@jeremycummings6702]

@@Boats_N_Hoez Another 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

​@@jeremycummings6702 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

​@Born To Hula in a sea of illegal immigration

[@electrolytics]

I don't want Federal or State money going to homeless bums and junkies either. Get your priorities straight.

[@edwardbirdsall6580]

Winter is coming.

[@JanetPendley-sy9yn]

Who is responsible for moving these individuals to Missoula,overnight? Remove them in every city and place in encampments

[@sail4free1]

Whenever I get to wishing my parents would have been smarter or maybe I could've done a better job and swam faster in the gene pool, I read the comments in threads like this and suddenly I'm oh-so-grateful with nary a worry in the world. Thank you! :)

[@thecrawlingspleen]

Urban camping? Lol Gotta love the use of inoffensive and "inclusive" terminology. Please send us more homeless because we are obviously in control of the situation. What did they think was gonna happen.

[@MuhammadAliInTheRing]

I was homeless for 5 years before comibg here and spent 2 1/2 years on a wait list for USDA rural home loans before beibg told I coukd no longer afford anything in my home stare od Washingtinon where my only immediate family lives.

[@apriltorres3684]

Montana Officials Need to Clamp Down Hard on the Homeless Camps. I'm sure a lot of the homeless are from other states and either wore out their welcome or have decided to move around. The counselor's need to connect with them and offer drug counseling and place them in shelters. The homeless would be required to take these services or risk going to jail or the hospital. I live in Washington and many (not all) don't want help and would rather lay around all day. The ex-homeless could also help out with advice and encourage them.

[@r.k.ssshhh5508]

They ship the homeless from all over Montana, free of charge, to Missoula because we are the only blue dot in the state. It's sad. My husband and I regularly go for walks and pick up trash and used needles😢 we are also a college town so it's doubtful that it will change anytime soon🙈

[@DrunkenUFOPilot]

Why would homeless wearing out their welcomes go to one of the coldest long-winter states in the US?

[@gussampson5029]

No one should say the words "urban camping" unironically. Tell the 9th Circuit Court to go to hell. Throw them in jail. They can get all the shelter they need.

[@michelleshields8350]

Please keep this place clean ! I want to move there with my boys !!! I’m a Nurse ! Ugh 😩

[@r.k.ssshhh5508]

I'm sorry but this is a college town, it's only going to get worse, plus most people that have lived here a majority of their lives aren't too welcoming to people from outside Montana because they feel like they are the reason it has become like this 😢 ❤️‍🩹🕊️

[@davidc6510]

Give them 1 way tickets to Seattle or Portland to the land of homeless nirvana

[@gussampson5029]

I've been saying this exact same thing for months. Send them all to progressive land.

[@JanetPendley-sy9yn]

That's where they are being moved from.

[@sportsstrops938]

This hurts, i love the place I grew up and miss it all the time… but that looks like where I live now, and this style of life shouldn’t be associated with Montana… this hurts to see… I mean I hate politics and taking sides but this seems like a pattern amongst blue spots especially

[@AverageJoe37]

Send them to the west coast, Montana doesn’t need this. Defecating in public, throwing drug needles and trash everywhere is unacceptable and not the public’s responsibility. Help wanted signs everywhere, if you don’t want to work then don’t be here. I am all for helping people get on their feet but not to capitalize on people’s taxes while destroying the beauty and communities of Montana.

[@wildshepherd5918]

This housing crises is everywhere. Shelter is a human need, it should be a human right.

[@wildshepherd5918]

@Born To Hula Actually, I think we should charge all animals rent.

[@AverageJoe37]

Weird… I worked for mine and I don’t think it’s much to ask for others to do the same.

[@altpropaganda7293]

For people who deserve it. These are the people who F*** that up for everyone else as you write from your mom's basement in suberbia land. Probably in a neighborhood gentrified by rich californians.

[@RangerCaptain11A]

Working at a job is also a duty, as is staying healthy and productive so you are not a nuisance or burden to the rest of us. If you fail at these duties you suffer the consequences. How many 'homeless' can i sign you up for? From your comment i would expect youdtake in at least two.

[@wildshepherd5918]

@@RangerCaptain11AHow many jobs should a person have before they should be able to move out of their car? How much money should a billionaire pay in taxes? How many houses is too many houses to own at one time? This is a crises because of greed. Shelter is not something that should be hoarded and withheld by the wealthy. Finland solved their homeless problem, I think we could too if people weren’t so obtuse.

[@xnihilo1044]

Send 'em to Chicago 😎

[@MsPhysics22100]

heaven forbid you help your neighbor like a good Christian.

[@xnihilo1044]

@@MsPhysics22100 most of these people are addicts. Any “help” you give just enables them to continue doing what they do. There are jobs out there. They don’t want them. Use wisdom.

[@MsPhysics22100]

@@xnihilo1044 what kind of logic is that? They are addicts so they deserve to die and dont' serve help? Are they homless because they are addicts or are they addicts becuase they are homless? Truth is most people turn to drugs when they lose their homes not the other way around.

[@markhartung]

@@MsPhysics22100 Heaven forbid they try to help themselves like a good American....

[@tomm1583]

Thank God Montana has a big sky.

[@68sunshine]

Montana???

[@laytongammelgard7794]

Get a handle on it now before it gets worse

[@williambilse]

I'm glad I don't see this in my city YET.

[@xnihilo1044]

"YET" is the word. I live in Iowa and I'm starting to see it here.

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

You'll see it especially if biden stays in office

[@SaberRiryi]

​@@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3 You'll see it regardless of who's in office, because nimbys don't want low income affordable housing built near them.

[@chrispalo7028]

Ninth Circus Court of Appeals strikes again!

[@bradleycavrak8013]

Another place for me to retire of the list

[@Flathead187]

Again, there are plenty of solutions but sometimes you have to think out of the box. Using old tactics that never worked to begin with and wasting resources and tax payer funded money is NOT the way to go. This is NOT America 100, 50 or even 25 years ago. The OLD way has never worked or this wouldn't happen. This is POOR management from Public Servants like most of our issues in this country!

[@MuhammadAliInTheRing]

I just wish I could gotoa dentist here in NE Montana on an Indian Reservation even though I'm white, but you certqinly solved your little issue with my disabled ass talking to myself at the Billibgs Airport the last time I was stranded there after having surgery- didn't you? I always will remember that security guard repeatedly grabbing my surgical site on my arm whule I screamed like I was beibg gang raped. But you all got off, did ya?

[@altpropaganda7293]

Well we all know there are trolls underneath every bridge.

[@markhartung]

And imagine, the most liberal city in Montana........

[@MrMedville56]

Thar's democrats up thar.

[@MsPhysics22100]

you think it's democrats... in Montana... wow.... you're not very smart are you?

[@MsPhysics22100]

@borntohula9408 who runs the state? Is it republicans or democrats?

[@MsPhysics22100]

@borntohula9408 and how much power does a Democrat Gov have in a Red state? You think they run the state? Come on kid. We are talking about State programs

[@justinporterr8843]

We send how much to Ukraine and if we put a bill for 2 billion annually it would solve homeless problems in ALL OF AMERICA , So when you look at any politician, they are not your friends just like police officers are not your friends.

[@markhartung]

Who's going to pay for the up keep of these places, utilities, their food etc.? Forgot about that hey?

[@ricksmith4736]

the show Yellowstone has sure brought the unwanteds to Montana...That includes the Unwanted Californians buying up all of the homes and bumping up the prices AND property tax...

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

​@Born To Hula don't forget about the tsunami of immigrants

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

@Born To Hula 😎

[@altpropaganda7293]

Yup, that is the exact definition of gentrification. They are the ones doing it and THAT is why they scream the loudest that everyone else is doing it.

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

@altpropaganda7293 you can thank hollywood for that.

[@exboyfriend8247]

But Trump said the economy is doing great everything is okay everything is wonderful he has done a beautiful job was he liying again? 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀 💀

[@Noname-bq4qc]

The money is there. They just don’t care… it will get worse

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

You mean the credit is there

[@michaelalverson7632]

this is bullshit the politicians know it send the politicians to jail all of them period.

[@Noname-bq4qc]

@@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3 it’s fake money anyway so why not put it to good use. Our government raised the debt ceiling so why not Spokane fix itself

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

@@Noname-bq4qc if it costs money to make money where the hell are we getting the money? where's the value in it besides contractual agreements 🤝 ?